Tbilisi

Tbilisi is the capital and largest city of Georgia, with a population of approximately 1.09 million (2026 estimate). Its historic Old Town, rapidly developing tech districts, and Georgia's visa-free entry for over 95 nationalities — valid for up to one year with no income requirement — made Tbilisi one of the world's most discussed digital-nomad destinations from 2020 Onward. Rents in popular neighbourhoods rose 20-30% since 2023 as roughly 7,200 remote workers settled in the city. The structural attractions — USD 800-1,200/month cost of living, 100-200 Mbps standard fibre, a historically welcoming attitude — remain in place even as the policy environment tightens.

Georgia's Parliament enacted Law No.1509 on 15 April 2026, adding three remote-work exemption sub-clauses to the labour-migration framework and setting a fine ladder activating on 1 May 2026: 2,000 GEL (roughly EUR 670) first offence, 4,000 GEL second, 12,000 GEL third. Sub-clause K exempts those working entirely remotely for Georgian employers with no required physical presence. Sub-clause L exempts those rendering services to non-residents outside Georgia. Sub-clause T creates a "short-term professional activity" category but the implementing decree was not issued before the 1 May deadline — leaving sub-T unusable. Foreign nationals registered in the labour-migrant system by 1 March 2026 have until 1 January 2027 to comply; later arrivals are on the May timetable.

Law No.1509 sits on top of the Ministry of Internal Affairs inspection regime (in force March 2026) that authorises unannounced home and workplace inspections of foreign nationals, and a deportation clause for participation in protests. Georgia's pattern through 2024-26 has been to legislate narrow instruments and leave enforcement discretion with the MIA — the same architecture Hungary used between 2018 and 2020 to produce a foreign-resident chilling effect without a headline visa restriction. Estonia's 2022 nomad-visa launch, by contrast, issued implementing guidance simultaneously with enabling legislation; sub-T's gap is the direct failure of that model.